Symptoms and causes

Symptoms

Teen depression signs and symptoms include a change from the teenager's previous attitude and behavior that can cause significant distress and problems at school or home, in social activities or other areas of life.

Depression symptoms can vary in severity, but changes in your teen's emotions and behavior may include the examples below.

Emotional changes

Be alert for emotional changes, such as:

Feelings of sadness, which can include crying spells for no apparent reason

Feeling hopeless or empty

Irritable or annoyed mood

Frustration or feelings of anger, even over small matters

Loss of interest or pleasure in normal activities

Loss of interest in, or conflict with, family and friends

Low self-esteem

Feelings of worthlessness or guilt

Fixation on past failures or exaggerated self-blame or self-criticism

Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure, and the need for excessive reassurance

What's normal and what's not

It can be difficult to tell the difference between ups and downs that are just part of being a teenager and teen depression. Talk with your teen. Try to determine whether he or she seems capable of managing challenging feelings, or if life seems overwhelming.

When to see a doctor

If depression symptoms continue or begin to interfere in your teen's life, talk to a doctor or a mental health professional trained to work with adolescents. Your teen's family doctor or pediatrician is a good place to start. Or your teen's school may recommend someone.

Depression symptoms likely won't get better on their own — and they may get worse or lead to other problems if untreated. Depressed teenagers may be at risk of suicide, even if signs and symptoms don't appear to be severe.

If you're a teen and you think you may be depressed — or you have a friend who may be depressed — don't wait to get help. Talk to a health care provider such as your doctor or school nurse. Share your concerns with a parent, a close friend, a spiritual leader, a teacher or someone else you trust.

When to get emergency help

Suicide is often associated with depression. If you think you may hurt yourself or attempt suicide, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.

Also consider these options if you're having suicidal thoughts:

Call your mental health specialist

Call a suicide hotline number — in the U.S., call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)

Seek help from your primary care doctor or other health care provider

Reach out to a close friend or loved one

Contact a minister, spiritual leader or someone else in your faith community

If a loved one or friend is in danger of attempting suicide or has made an attempt:

Make sure someone stays with that person

Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately

Or, if you can do so safely, take the person to the nearest hospital emergency room

Never ignore comments or concerns about suicide. Always take action to get help.

Causes

It's not known exactly what causes depression, but a variety of issues may be involved. These include:

Biological chemistry. Neurotransmitters are naturally occurring brain chemicals that carry signals to other parts of your brain and body. When these chemicals are abnormal or impaired, the function of nerve receptors and nerve systems change, leading to depression.

Hormones. Changes in the body's balance of hormones may be involved in causing or triggering depression.

Inherited traits. Depression is more common in people whose blood relatives also have the condition.

Early childhood trauma. Traumatic events during childhood, such as physical or emotional abuse, or loss of a parent, may cause changes in the brain that make a person more susceptible to depression.

Learned patterns of negative thinking. Teen depression may be linked to learning to feel helpless — rather than learning to feel capable of finding solutions for life's challenges.

Risk factors

Many factors increase the risk of developing or triggering teen depression, including:

Having issues that negatively impact self-esteem, such as obesity, peer problems, long-term bullying or academic problems

Having been the victim or witness of violence, such as physical or sexual abuse

Having other conditions, such as bipolar disorder, an anxiety disorder, a personality disorder, anorexia or bulimia

Having a learning disability or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Having ongoing pain or a chronic physical illness such as cancer, diabetes or asthma

Having a physical disability

Having certain personality traits, such as low self-esteem or being overly dependent, self-critical or pessimistic

Abusing alcohol, nicotine or other drugs

Being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender in an unsupportive environment

Family history and issues with family or others may also increase your teenager's risk of depression, such as:

Having a parent, grandparent or other blood relative with depression, bipolar disorder or alcoholism

Having a family member who committed suicide

Having a dysfunctional family and conflict

Having experienced recent stressful life events, such as parental divorce, parental military service or the death of a loved one

Complications

Untreated depression can result in emotional, behavioral and health problems that affect every area of your teenager's life. Complications related to teen depression may include, for example:

Alcohol and drug abuse

Academic problems

Family conflicts and relationship difficulties

Involvement with the juvenile justice system

Suicide

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